


Hate to See Your Heart Break

by novatrick



Series: Mania AU [2]
Category: M A N I A - Fall Out Boy (Album), Panic! at the Disco, Paramore
Genre: F/M, MANIA AU, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-19
Updated: 2018-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-24 23:19:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14365851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novatrick/pseuds/novatrick
Summary: They had just celebrated their three year anniversary, but Hayley had noticed how distant Spencer had become lately. It wasn't like him at all. Little did she know that when he called her over to his place for "a talk," the worst was yet to come.





	Hate to See Your Heart Break

**Author's Note:**

> One questionable proposition from [20dollarnosebleed](http://20dollarnosebleed.tumblr.com) later, and here we are, blending two background [Mania AU](http://officialmaniaau.tumblr.com) characters together into a tragic past.
> 
> Note: this is something that most likely won't be explored in the main storyline of the Mania AU. Still very worth checking out, though.

"Spencer, you need to just tell me what's wrong."

Spencer kept his lips pursed and snug, much like how they first met. He was a tough nut to crack back then, but when he opened up, he had a world's worth of stories to tell. That was the man Hayley had fallen in love with. Not the one that felt the need to bottle himself up.

Spencer drummed his fingers against the table. He couldn't stop fidgeting, not while he knew what was about to happen. Aside from that, the awkward silence between the two cut the room like a knife.

"Spence-"

"I know... I know..." Spencer finally stammered, "I'm just... not sure how to say it."

"You should just say it," Hayley said, "Take your time and tell the truth. Like one of your missions."

Hayley's smile was brighter than her blonde hair, brighter than the sun. Admittedly, that made things worse for Spencer. He took a deep breath.

"Okay... so you know how I've told you that things have never really... worked out in the love department," Spencer said, "How you've been the first woman that's made a long-standing relationship worth it."

"Much like how you know you're the first man that's meant a lot to me..." Hayley echoed.

"And that's the thing... there's... something I've been struggling with for a while. You remember how I talked about him?"

"Him? ... the childhood friend from a while back?"

"Yeah, well... he's always been... a bit more than a friend..."

"... you we-"

"He's a crush. He doesn't know it. I actually haven't pursued it, I never had a chance..." Spencer's shoulders tensed up again, "And I would never do _that_ to you, Hayley. You've changed my world over the past three years, and you deserve to live in a world that treats you right."

"But... now you're saying that it's going to be a world without you..."

Hayley's eyes darted away from Spencer's for a moment. She seemed to be motioning into thin air, making gentle gestures. It's been said that Hayley's monster was rather defensive of its vessel. She seemed to be reassuring what she called her "siren" that she didn't need saving this time.

When Hayley had enough nerve to look back at Spencer, she saw his monster too. It was curled in a ball, seemingly asleep, horns nestled against its vessel's side. The slight sound of purring seemed to be that monster's way of consoling his vessel. The leg it was leaning against was bouncing up and down restlessly. It suddenly became clear to Hayley that this was hard for him, too.

"If I thought I couldn't shake these feelings, I wouldn't have pursued you. Honest to God, there's a timeline in which this conversation would end with me on one knee."

"... but, it's not this one because..."

"Because... I... he recently broke up with his boyfriend and... for some reason, that woke me up. Every emotion I felt for him just rekindled within me. The passion, the desire... he just works me like no one else on this earth. And you don't deserve me if my heart is split like this. You deserve someone who will treat you right, who will be there for you through thick and thin, fully committed to you. And, I thought that was me, but, it's not, and I'm really... really sorry, I-"

Gentle hands overlapped shaky ones. Spencer looked at Hayley. Her eyes were made of liquid glass.

"It's okay."

As she spoke, Hayley's blonde hair slowly shifted into a deep sea blue. Spencer knew that deep down, it wasn't okay.

"You know me... the truth is what I seek for a living. I'm very glad I got the truth from you tonight. Even though it's not the truth I expected... it's a truth that will set you free, too. You don't want to hold me back. I can't hold you back, either..."

Hayley and Spencer knew of each other's vices by this point. She could barely hide the emotions that showed through her hair. He ran the risk of being killed on every assassin mission that he took. She thought romance was a fluke concept prior to meeting Spencer. He never really got over his long-standing crush, despite a few short flings with women prior to meeting Hayley. All of those open wounds combined into a heartache neither one imagined they would go through in this lifetime.

Hayley's voice began to crack as it trailed off. She wasn't prepared for this outcome.

Spencer's ice blue eyes welled up, too. Despite having the blessing of bracing himself for impact, watching Hayley's heart break in front of him was something he couldn't handle. With a consenting nod and a chair that inched closer to him, Spencer held Hayley tightly.

The embrace made time stand still. Neither one knew how long they hugged each other for. Neither one wanted to let go. No dam could stop the tears that both of them unleashed onto each others' shoulders. It was cathartic, but it didn't make the pain hurt any less.

When they finally let each other go, both barely managed to muster parting words.

"This isn't goodbye, is it?"

"For now, yes... but I'd like to see you someday. When you're ready."

"When we're both ready. Take care, Hayley."

"You too, Spencer. Best of luck with him."

Hayley slowly collected her things and left the room. It would be a long time before someday ever came. Despite the mutual respect, it hurt them both too much just to think of the ex in the following months.

By the time Spencer had enough nerve to call Hayley up for lunch, he had lost count of how many days had passed.


End file.
